Rubber article



Feb. 24, 1931. o. KRlcHBAUM RUBBER ARTICLE Filed Feb. 27, 1925 Patented Feb. 24, 1 93l` UNITED STATES ORA KRICHBAUM, (JFl DELAWARE, OHIO RUBBER ARTICLE Application filed February 27, 1925. Serial No. 12,044.

The present invention relates to a rubber article adapted for inflation.

One object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the bulging of one part of 5 the article lis prevented when pressure is applied to another part thereof.

Another object is to provide a structure which unites the inner walls of the article, thereby to resist local bulging effects when the article is inflated. A further object is to provide a method of making the article. l

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. '1 is a top plan view, with a portion in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional view; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a member used in making the article; Fig. 4 is a. sectional elevation of a form on which the article is molded.

The article which will be described is a rubber air cushion, as this is the embodiment of the invention so far developed, but no limitation of the invention is intended by the specific description.

The cushion is formed in any desired shape,

but the one herein shown is rectangular or substantially so, and consists of two outside members A and B which are formed of sheet rubber. These outside members are secured together at or adjacent their edges, so that the article forms a closed envelope or bag.

The manner of securing the sheets of rubber may be by a suitable rubber cement which is well known in the rubber art, but I prefer to secure attachment by vulcanizing the rubber sheets together, at their contacting edge portions.

Inside the envelope formed by the members A and B is au intermediate fiexible member C which is preferably formed of rubber. This interemediate member C is secured to the inside surfaces of the members A and B at a plurality of small areas or spots and preferably the spots of attachment between the intermediate member C and the member A are staggered with respect to the spots of attachment between the members C and B. Preferably the edges of the intermediate member C are free and unsecured to either the members A or B so that air may pass around the 50 edges.

stricted passage of air and because of this the air can not rush to one part of the envelope when pressure is applied to another portion of the envelope.

In another aspect of the invention the intermediate member C may be viewed as forming a flexible connection between the outer members A and -B whereby these members are prevented from unduly bulging under air pressure.

For the purpose of infiating the article a suitable valve is rovided. This is indicated at G in Fig. 1. guch Valves are well known in the art and need no description.

While I have specified that the article may be inflated by air it will be understood that inflation may take place by the use of water or other liquid.

I will now describe the method by which I prefe to make the article described.

Two sheets of raw Irubber of the proper size and an intermediate sheet of raw rubber of proper size, are taken. A sheet of paper or equivalent material for the purpose is provided, which in size is the same as that ot the inside of the envelope which is slightly larger than the intermediate sheet C. Such a sheet is shown at D in Fig. 3. This sheet is provided with a plurality of openings E which are spaced apart and arranged as desired.

This sheet D is laid upon one of the sheets of rubber which will form one of the outer members of the article. Then the intermediate sheet of raw rubber is laid upon the sheet D. Then a second sheet of paper or equivalent material in all respects similar to the sheet D is laid over the intermediate sheet of raw rubber and then the second outside -sheet of raw rubber is laid over the second sheet D.

Thus it will be seen that the outside rubber sheets are in contact at or adjacent their edges, and further that these outside raw rubber sheets are in contact with the intermediate sheet of raw rubber at spots where there are holes through the paper sheets D.

Preferably the openings E in the two sheets D which are used as described are. staggered with respect to each other, so that contact spots between the intermediate rubber sheet and one of the outside rubber sheets are staggered with respect to the contact spots between the intermediate rubber sheet and the other outside rubber sheet.

When the rubber sheets and paper sheets are arranged as described, the article is vulcanized and there will be areas of attachment between the outside rubber sheets at their edges and also between the intermediate rubber sheet and the outside rubber sheets at places where there were holes in the paper sheets.

I prefer to vuloanize the article upon a round mandrel such as indicated at F in Fig. 4, so that the inished article will have a tendency to roll up easily, into a scroll form, in which form it 1s easy to carry or store it.

I claim:

l. An inflatable rubber article in the form of an envelope and a flexible sheet inside the envelope having spots of` attachment to the envelope.

2. An inflatable rubber article in the form of an envelope, a sheet of flexible material within the envelope, which sheet is attached in staggered spots to the opposite parts of the envelope.

3. AnV inflatable rubber article in the form of an envelope, a sheet of rubber within the envelope which sheet is attached in spots to the inside of the envelope. the edges of the said sheet bein unattached.

4. An inf-lata lerubber article in the form of an envelope, a sheet of rubber within the envelope which sheet is attached in staggered spots to the opposite parts of the envelope, the edges of the same sheet being unattached.

5. An inflatable rubber article in the form of an envelope, a flexible sheet within the envelope and extending approximately parallel with the walls of the envelope, which sheet on its opposite sides is attached to the envelope at a plurality of portions, said-envelope having intercommunicating pockets therein definedv by said sheet.

6. An inflatable rubber article in the form of an envelope, a flexible sheet within the envelope and extending approximately parallel with the walls of the envelope, which sheet on its opposite sides is attached to the envelope at a plurality of portions, and edge portions of which sheet are unattached, whereby intercommunicating pockets are formed within said envelope.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto alix my signature.

ORA KRICHBAUM. 

